RSS chief backs Narendra Modi for PM candidate

Feb 8, 2013, 12.48AM ISTTNN[ Mrigank Tiwari ]

The remark is seen as a major indication that the larger Sangh Parivar may be coming around to projecting Modi as their choice for prime minister despite resistance from some top BJP leaders and allies like Nitish Kumar.

ALLAHABAD: The buzz around Narendra Modi being the BJP's prime ministerial nominee increased on Thursday, with Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat virtually endorsing the Gujarat CM, saying popular sentiments for him needed to be taken into account.

Speaking at a Vishwa Hindu Parishad gathering at the Maha Kumbh after sadhus raised slogans in Modi's favour, Bhagwat said, "The mood in the country and popular sentiments in the party in favour of a particular political leader need to be taken into account while choosing a candidate to be projected as the future PM."

The remark is seen as a major indication that the larger Sangh Parivar may be coming around to projecting Modi as their choice for prime minister despite resistance from some top BJP leaders and allies like Nitish Kumar.

Bhagwat did not refer to Modi by name but it was obvious who he was speaking of. "People know what is in your heart. The whole country is echoing the same sentiment," he said in what was seen as a rather forthright comment in view of RSS's self-description as a cultural organization, and its professed aloofness from BJP affairs and politics at large.

Significantly, Bhagwat described Modi as "a nationalist who is development-oriented", and went on to call him "my friend": descriptions which seemed to spell out the RSS's own preference on who should be BJP's candidate, and which acquire significance in view of the perception of Modi's frosty equations with Sangh leaders.

Indicating that the Sangh will offer no resistance to Modi, the RSS chief said, "And that is why (keeping popular sentiment in mind), we should not interfere with what should be done. They will have to take a decision... whatever we may say, those who should do it, it is their right."

The BJP is not going to take a formal decision just yet, but the Modi chant will be hard to ignore as the CM increasingly steps outside Gujarat as he tests the waters as he did before a youthful audience at a Delhi college on Wednesday.

Party leaders will not be able to put off the decision for much beyond the first half of the Budget session of Parliament with the view growing that a Modi-versus-Rahul Gandhi contest in 2014 is more or less inevitable.

The stage seems set for Modi's visit to the Kumbh next week even though he is expected to steer clear of the VHP gathering where men in saffron lustily cheered him on Thursday. Ailing VHP leader Giriraj Kishore also said Modi was the obvious choice as BJP candidate.

VHP leader and the Mahant of Ayodhya, Vasudevacharya, said, "Gujarat CM has the vision to take the country forward and solve the problems of the country. He has the quality to remove impediments on course to development and it is the ripe time to project him as the PM-in-waiting."